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Plan your summer with these ideas that will make going outside on a hot Atlanta day worth it The Back to the Chattahoochee River Race and Festival is the family-friendly version of the Ramblin' Raft Race of the 1970s Summer brings out-of-town guests to the attractions around Luckie Marietta District and Centennial Olympic Park Find a King of Pops pushcart or grab a milkshake at Googie Burger An annual pilgrimage for many Atlantans is the hike up Stone Mountain with panoramic views of downtown Atlanta and

9 sizzling summer festivals not to miss in Atlanta

Take advantage of Atlanta's warm weather by coming out to a sizzling summer festival.

Art, music, food and drink festivals are heating up around the city, making this season one of the most popular for outdoor events.

"It's summertime... people just want to get out and have fun with their friends and experience new things," said Adam Cohen, director of operations for Spiral Entertainment, the host of the Brookhaven Beer & Wine Fest.

More than 150 different beers and wines will be served up to attendees at the Brookhaven Beer and Wine Fest. Participating breweries include Terrapin and Full Sail, and wines from Mighty Swell and Simi will be offered. Pair your drink with foods from vendors including Dominic's NY Pizza and Cole's Backyard BBQ. Live music from Velvet Runway, Zale and DJ Zack Falls will be featured during the event. Tickets include unlimited samplings of beer and wine. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Angels Among Us Pet Rescue.

10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on June 9 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 10, Virginia Avenue, free.

Come out to the 35th annual Virginia-Highland Summerfest to appreciate the arts in this historical neighborhood. More than 250 artists are expected to open up shop in the Artist Market. There will also be live music throughout the event space, along with food and drink vendors for attendees to enjoy.

Beer will be flowing in large quantities at the Atlanta Summer Beer Fest, hosted by Atlanta Beer Festivals. Drinks from Atlanta-area breweries are among the 200 beers offered during the event. Gluten-free options, including Grumpy Granny Cider from Mercier Orchards and Gluten-free Lager from Omission, are also on offer. Roti Rolls and Tex's Tacos are a few of the festival's food vendors and there will be live music performed throughout the day.

Munch on gooey grilled cheese at this year's two-day festival. Tickets include samplings of three sandwiches and admission to all of the festivities including the Beer Garden. The garden will be the source for cold, seasonal beers as well as bloody marys and Lunazul margaritas. Attendees will be able to weigh in on which of the vendors should be dubbed "best grilled cheese" in Atlanta.

This quirky, one-of-a-kind festival has more than 1,000 locals interested in attending. The 10th annual Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival, hosted by Chef Ford Fry, will be filled with farmers, mixologists and chefs serving up tomato-based concoctions. Attendees will get to taste these eats and enjoy the live sounds of G. Love and Special Sauce.

Hot summer days are best paired with ice cream. At the 8th annual Atlanta Ice Cream Festival, there will be dairy and non-dairy frozen treats, along with food vendors. Kickback and listen to the live music at this festival held in Piedmont Park.

Enjoy classic southern BBQ while listening to blues and bluegrass at this festival. If you're vegetarian, no worries: three BBQ vendors will offer vegetarian selections. Tickets provide attendees with admission to the event and more than seven hours of live music by local artists.

If you love the arts, the Piedmont Park Arts Festival is the place to be. Painters, glassblowers, metalworkers, crafters and photographers are among the 250 artists that will be showcasing their work. Food, live music and artist demonstrations are also slated for the festival.

This two-day festival in Grant Park will feature food trucks, an Artist Market, beer from Monday Night Brewing and live music. Expect to see the crafts of more than 200 artists ranging from jewelry to handmade soap. The festival, projected to attract 30,000 visitors, benefits the Grant Park Conservancy.